To enable the function in your Gmail, click the Google Labs setting tab and select "Google Maps previews in mail." Once that is functional, any Google Maps URL will be mapped. For the time being, only U.S. addresses are being extracted, but, according to Google software engineer, Mark Knichel, they are working on giving the extraction process a global reach.

When it comes to Google Buzz, pasting a Google Maps link into the post box will cause the system to automatically produce an image preview of that location.